Ulysses Simpson Grant Born: April 27, 1822 in Point Pleasant, Ohio Died: July 23, 1885 in Mount McGregor, New York
Political Party: Republican Term of Office: March 4, 1869- March 3, 1877 Vice President: Schuyler Colfax (1869-1873), Henry Wilson (1873-1875)
Assuming that great generals made great presidents, America elected Ulysses S. Grant to the highest office for two consecutive terms. Grant was a pivotal character in the Civil War, and he proved to be a great man despite all the negative points of his administration. Grant may have been a valiant and honest person, but he lacked something important that was needed for his presidency- the ability to distinguish between good and bad persons. Plus, Grant didn't even want to be president. Thus, Grant's administration deserves a C overall. The low grade comes from the numerous scandals and corruption that plagued his terms. However, Grant did have redeeming moments, as can be seen by the Civil Rights Act, the 15th Amendment, and the Treaty of Washington. In his first inaugural address, Grant wanted to lead the recovering country without prejudice or sectional biases. He also voice his desire for the 15th Amendment to pass, which gave African-Americans the right to vote. Grant was in charge during the latter half of Reconstruction and continued with the rebuilding under military surveillance. He also allowed the Freedman's Bureau to die in 1872 and allowed “carpetbaggers” to set up Republican governments in the South. In his second inaugural address, Grant said he wished to aid the struggling minorities (the African and Native Americans). Though he made attempts to achieve this with the Civil Rights Act and the Americanization of Native Americans, they proved to be unsuccessful. The Civil Rights Act was deemed to be unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1883, and the exile of Native Americans was only hastened by the western migration of Americans. As can be seen, Grant did not achieve his presidential goals due to social prejudices still going strong and his novice leadership. Grant enjoyed a Republican majority in Congress during all the years of his administration. However, Grant's relationship with his party and Congress was strained. After his election, Republicans thought that they would be granted office positions as thanks. Grant instead gave positions to close friends, who mostly turned out to be shady and incompetent. The numerous counts of corruption even caused the Liberal Republican party to form, and Congress overall was peeved by Grant's folly. Grant's stance supporting hard money and military Reconstruction also caused numerous congressmen to oppose him. Thus, the Democratic congressmen often did not cooperate with Grant. He vetoed 93 bills in total. The most beneficial factor of Grant's administration would be the Treaty of Washington, which had its terms decided by arbitration. Passed in 1871, the treaty had the British pay the Americans $15.5 million for the damages done by a Confederate warship, the Alabama- Britain was supposed to be neutral, but instead prolonged the war by supplying the South with navy vessels. Although the British had to cough up money, this treaty was a very positive one because it made way for peaceful international business negotiations. It also fostered the British-American relationship into a powerful, cooperative, and unofficial alliance that would benefit the nations. Grant's administration was plagued by grafting and corruption. These displays of the greed of the representative government officials greatly hurt Grant's administration. An example would be James Fisk's and Jay Gould's scheme to corner the gold market. Convinced that their inside source would convince Grant not to sell gold reserves, they bought huge amounts of gold to try to make an obscene profit. Grant actually retaliates by dumping $4 million in federal gold into the market. The changes in the cost of gold were too extreme, causing many investors and businesses to collapse. Although Grant was not a part of this scheme (and any other scandals, for that matter), his reputation took a hit as both the public and congressmen associated him with corruption. The many scandals hurt Grant's presidential efficiency and gave his administration a vastly negative connotation. Despite all his failures in leading a corrupt government, Grant's most influential action is still very momentous. Grant's administration passed the 15th Amendment, which gave African American men the right to vote. He thus honored the glorious rights won by the Civil War, and duly enforced them. The 15th Amendment was another small step towards racial equality, but it was a huge milestone in social progress that gave the African Americans a basic right that they had been denied for so long. Grant's support for the ratification of this amendment will affect not only future African-Americans, but also women and minorities. He was one of the few presidents to advocate and actually act for the growth of equality. Overall, Grant's administration was largely unsuccessful. Grant was not a potent politician whatsoever, and his unfortunate character flaw of obliviousness only made it more blatant. Thus, Ulysses S. Grant left the country in a miserable state. Reconstruction was over once Grant's term was done, but the nation was in a state worse than before he entered. The scandals that occurred during his leadership defiled the name and power of the presidential office and put the nation into a state of chaos. His positive contributions to society (the 15th Amendment and the Treaty of Washington) where overshadowed by the commonplace corruption and cannot be fully appreciated. Grant was not a bad man, but he was not a good president. Grant thus deserves a C because his administration was rampant with unrestrained and crooked profiteering in a time where the nation was already unstable.
Born: April 27, 1822 in Point Pleasant, Ohio
Died: July 23, 1885 in Mount McGregor, New York
Political Party: Republican
Term of Office: March 4, 1869- March 3, 1877
Vice President: Schuyler Colfax (1869-1873), Henry Wilson (1873-1875)
Assuming that great generals made great presidents, America elected Ulysses S. Grant to the highest office for two consecutive terms. Grant was a pivotal character in the Civil War, and he proved to be a great man despite all the negative points of his administration. Grant may have been a valiant and honest person, but he lacked something important that was needed for his presidency- the ability to distinguish between good and bad persons. Plus, Grant didn't even want to be president. Thus, Grant's administration deserves a C overall. The low grade comes from the numerous scandals and corruption that plagued his terms. However, Grant did have redeeming moments, as can be seen by the Civil Rights Act, the 15th Amendment, and the Treaty of Washington.
In his first inaugural address, Grant wanted to lead the recovering country without prejudice or sectional biases. He also voice his desire for the 15th Amendment to pass, which gave African-Americans the right to vote. Grant was in charge during the latter half of Reconstruction and continued with the rebuilding under military surveillance. He also allowed the Freedman's Bureau to die in 1872 and allowed “carpetbaggers” to set up Republican governments in the South. In his second inaugural address, Grant said he wished to aid the struggling minorities (the African and Native Americans). Though he made attempts to achieve this with the Civil Rights Act and the Americanization of Native Americans, they proved to be unsuccessful. The Civil Rights Act was deemed to be unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1883, and the exile of Native Americans was only hastened by the western migration of Americans. As can be seen, Grant did not achieve his presidential goals due to social prejudices still going strong and his novice leadership.
Grant enjoyed a Republican majority in Congress during all the years of his administration. However, Grant's relationship with his party and Congress was strained. After his election, Republicans thought that they would be granted office positions as thanks. Grant instead gave positions to close friends, who mostly turned out to be shady and incompetent. The numerous counts of corruption even caused the Liberal Republican party to form, and Congress overall was peeved by Grant's folly. Grant's stance supporting hard money and military Reconstruction also caused numerous congressmen to oppose him. Thus, the Democratic congressmen often did not cooperate with Grant. He vetoed 93 bills in total.
The most beneficial factor of Grant's administration would be the Treaty of Washington, which had its terms decided by arbitration. Passed in 1871, the treaty had the British pay the Americans $15.5 million for the damages done by a Confederate warship, the Alabama- Britain was supposed to be neutral, but instead prolonged the war by supplying the South with navy vessels. Although the British had to cough up money, this treaty was a very positive one because it made way for peaceful international business negotiations. It also fostered the British-American relationship into a powerful, cooperative, and unofficial alliance that would benefit the nations.
Grant's administration was plagued by grafting and corruption. These displays of the greed of the representative government officials greatly hurt Grant's administration. An example would be James Fisk's and Jay Gould's scheme to corner the gold market. Convinced that their inside source would convince Grant not to sell gold reserves, they bought huge amounts of gold to try to make an obscene profit. Grant actually retaliates by dumping $4 million in federal gold into the market. The changes in the cost of gold were too extreme, causing many investors and businesses to collapse. Although Grant was not a part of this scheme (and any other scandals, for that matter), his reputation took a hit as both the public and congressmen associated him with corruption. The many scandals hurt Grant's presidential efficiency and gave his administration a vastly negative connotation.
Despite all his failures in leading a corrupt government, Grant's most influential action is still very momentous. Grant's administration passed the 15th Amendment, which gave African American men the right to vote. He thus honored the glorious rights won by the Civil War, and duly enforced them. The 15th Amendment was another small step towards racial equality, but it was a huge milestone in social progress that gave the African Americans a basic right that they had been denied for so long. Grant's support for the ratification of this amendment will affect not only future African-Americans, but also women and minorities. He was one of the few presidents to advocate and actually act for the growth of equality.
Overall, Grant's administration was largely unsuccessful. Grant was not a potent politician whatsoever, and his unfortunate character flaw of obliviousness only made it more blatant. Thus, Ulysses S. Grant left the country in a miserable state. Reconstruction was over once Grant's term was done, but the nation was in a state worse than before he entered. The scandals that occurred during his leadership defiled the name and power of the presidential office and put the nation into a state of chaos. His positive contributions to society (the 15th Amendment and the Treaty of Washington) where overshadowed by the commonplace corruption and cannot be fully appreciated. Grant was not a bad man, but he was not a good president. Grant thus deserves a C because his administration was rampant with unrestrained and crooked profiteering in a time where the nation was already unstable.
Bibliography
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Kennedy, David M., Lizabeth Cohen, and Thomas Andrew Bailey. The American Pageant: A History of the Republic. 12th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2002. Print.
"Ulysses S. Grant: Inaugural Address." The American Presidency Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Apr. 2011. <http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=25820#axzz
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"U.S. Senate: Vetoes." U.S. Senate. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Apr. 2011. <http://www.senate.gov/reference/Legislation/Vetoes/vetoCounts.htm>.